Parties, spiders, chickens and good vibes!

My need for own time, meaning at least one hour by myself a week, has been accomplished as the new neighbours have been quite busy. I got what I needed. Otherwise it has worked out very well and I think everyone is happy. Very nice neighbours, I have to say. Last thursday we arranged a party at the house, a party for Maarit’s departure. We cooked, or actually Boris did, for about 40 people, and we bought 8 liters of wine, 2 bottles of Pastis and a bottle of whiskey and everything was gone by the end of the night. That is what one would call a good celebration! Did I say Africans don’t drink? Ups. Well actually people drink quite a bit, all the time, strong palm booze, but seldom one sees people in a Finnish state of drunkenness. I might even admit that I was a little tipsy last night but then again it was the first time being tipsy in Africa. The party created lots of laughter and dancing until the dying of the stereo. One can’t have a party in Benin without music and dance so this meant that the party also died. At least everyone enjoyed themselves as long as it lasted. Have to admit that I was rather tired this morning and to my luck I had 5 guiding tours in a row…

On saturday the ex Villa Karo trainee Linni that currently lives in Lomé also came over with three friends and they will all stay at my place. Now you might think that I was getting stressed as I need my own time, but nah, I just need it once in a while, every few months. I am glad that they were here and we had a good weekend together. The ones that know me also know that I am a social monkey and enjoy having people around me. And besides I am not here to be alone, I am here to dance, laugh, learn, talk, socialize and what not. Mission accomplished as by the end of the night, of our big party, I was called “the petite beninoise”, thanks to my enthusiastic dancing. Yesterday I went to Cotonou, just for the day. It was a long and sweaty journey as the cars are always packed, meaning three people on the front seat, four in the back and yesterday one also in the luggage storage. On the way back from Cotonou we also had some chickens in the car that made lots of unhappy sounds. My intension was to find a internet café in order to download some pictures but the one I found was closed and then I finally didn’t have time to go to the others as I went with Villa Karo’s night guard Abdullai and he had to be back at work. But on my way to Cotonou my phone rang and surprise surprise it was Veronica. That was very nice. We talked for quite some time and it only cost her 1.5€ as she called through skype. Apparently one can also call very cheaply from Finland, cheap = 4 cents à minute, if dialling 99533 before my Benin number, that is +229 97831277. So wink wink, if anyone wants to call  It is of course nice to hear voices from backhome!

What else? A chicken decided to enter my house the other day and make a hell of a lot of fuss about leaving. And oh yes, the spider. The electricity in Grand Popo is a mess which results in electrical cuts lasting a few hours to days. This means that the fridges melt and the fans don’t work which means that it feels like one is sleeping in a bad sauna and is completely covered in sweat in the morning. This is how I met the spider. The fans didn’t work and I was tired and sweaty at 7 a.m. and of course the lights in the bathroom didn’t work. In the semi darkness I could still see a hairy body on the wall. A monster spider! I went to get a candle and a stick. With a candle in one hand and the murder weapon in the other hand I entered the battle zone. The monster spider wasn’t ready to breathe his last breath. I kept on hitting him while he kept on defending himself and pretending not to get hurt. Finally I got him down on his knees and with a shoe I took his life. At this point Maarit woke up wondering what the hell I was doing hitting the wall and screaming like a mad woman. A real murder scene!

Yesterday evening I couldn’t help but laugh at myself. I was chilling on the sofa reading an old iltasanomat (actually the sport section !! as that was the only magazine that was laying around) and drinking a glass of wine when my flatmates and their friends, meaning 6 local men, started to dance, sing and drum on the table. What a joy, energy and laughter. Couldn’t imagine seeing 6 men in Finland dance just like that out the blue with so much energy and happiness. I really felt like “the dude” chilling on the sofa with my sport section and wine watching the dancing men. This is exactly what makes one fall in love with Benin and maybe Africa in general (even though I never want to generalize Africa).

Pia asked me to comment Bush’s appearance in Benin but honestly I am in a complete news shade. I don’t have TV, we don’t have a newspaper and unfortunately I don’t have a radio… Of course I heard about Bush visiting, but that is all. So please do inform me of the biggest news events. Even though last night I got a fresh Helsingin Sanomat in my hand, wow, with the arrival of the new Finnish neighbours. That is surely something.

Unfortunately Maarit is leaving tomorrow. I was just thinking about it the other day that Maarit and I met on the airport in Cotonou the second of January and ever since we have shared the same room and bed, and it has worked out fantastically. It is surprising how easily it can be to get along with someone you have never met before and suddenly you are together all hours of the day. Well lately Maarit has been travelling around a bit so we haven’t been attached to the hip like we were in the beginning. She doesn’t look too excited about going home to Rauma. I wish her the best luck with everything! Things will be alright and like we say here: there is always tomorrow.